System of third rail installation



July 7, 1931. w H. L. ROGERS 1,313,199

Eu 0 INSTALLATION installations. I

Patented July 7, 1 931 UNITED STA S PA ENT OFFICE FACTURING COMPANY; A CORPORATION OF OHIO I SYSTEM OF THIRn RAIL INSTA LAT ON Application filed .lune 27, 1928. serial messa e.

My invention relates to system of third rail My invention is particularly addressed to providing protective covers and insulating means for third rails or other electric conductors, a portion of which, by reason of their use, must be exposed so as to contact with a moving member, such as the shoe which contactswith the third rail conductor or a trolley wheel which conducts an overhead or underground trolley and similar conductors.

My invention is addressed to providing such conductors with a protective cover which insulates the greater portion of such conductors, protects the conductor from water and moisture, and likewise provides a cover, that will not absorb moisture, will not decay or deteriorate, under use. My system may be readily applied to'the electric conductor on old as well as to new installations. ,Under my system the third rail covers will far'outlast 'protectivecovers heretofore, in use and will greatly prolong the life of the electric,

conductor.

While in the specification and the drawings 1 have shown my improved system and cover applied to a typical third rail in whiohthe shoe on a movingvehicle contacts with the lower side ofthe rail, it will be readily understood that my cover maybe applied to other conductors and that the form and shape of my cover depends upon the "conductor to which it is to be applied.

In the drawings, Fig. 1 is across section of my system applied to a third rail; Figs. 2 and 3 are modifications of'same,

In the drawings, Aris the third rail to which is shown applied a cover composed of three membersj'the top member B encloses the top and side of the top ball of'the rail and the two members CC enclose the underside of i the top ball of the rail, the upper side of the lower ball of the rail, and contact with the web of the rail.' D is a bituminous adhesive 1 or cement which is applied to the portions of I the rail-with which mycover comes in contactand 1s also applied between the adjacent members of the cover so as to provide adhe 1 sion' for the parts of the cover to the rail and to each other, thereby forming a water tight pint-between the respective members of the cover, and not only cementing the cover to the rail but providing a water tight sealbetween the cover and the rail so that moisture cannot penetrate between same. V

As shown in Fig. 2, the members CC are slightly difierent'in form so that the top member B extends down and overlaps the members CC. In Fig. 3 the cover is composed of but two members; B having integral with it a portion whieh" projects against the web of the rail, and a second member 0 corresponding to themember C in Figs. 1 and 2,

' except, that the cross sectional form is some- 'whatmodified' This modification of the sec tion Gin Fig. 3, as will be seen, provides for it,

straight uninterruped surface provided by the outer exposed surface of the member B and the outer exposed surface of the member C. Of course, the'member 0 could be of any form desired although I prefer that whatex er form is used, the members C project be; yond the'side ofthe lower ball of the rail as 'shown in'the drawingsso thatanydrip-ping of rain will be to the ground and not onto the rail A, and I have for that reason provided that the lowest point of the members C be arranged some distance from the side of the lowerball of the rail so that as the moisture or rain drops, even thoughthere is a strong HOMER L.- ROGERS, or CINCINNATI, oIIIo, ASSIGNOR TO THE PHILIP CAREY MANIF wind-or current of air being created by a passing vehicle the moisture or water will drop to the groundand not contact with the rall. If deslred, of course, the lower portion of the member C adjacent the rail could extenddown and contact for some little distance with the 'parallel vertical sidesof the lower ball'of thegrail although this isnot necessary. Y

I prefer to use a coverformed,asexplained iii) readily removed by Water-or in greater detail in my co-pending application Serial No. 288,721, filed June 27, 1928 from a mixture composed of bituminous material, preferably asphalt; fibrous material and a comparatively fine mineral material, either a powdered mineral or a fine granular mineral, mixed together while the bituminous material is heated to form. a homogeneous mass. This mixture or homogeneous mass of bitumen is then, while in a heated condition mouldedor formed under pressure to the desired shape so that the cover will conform to the contour of the surface to which it is to be applied. This 'mouldingor forming is under sufiicient pressure to compact the mass with the result that when it has cooled the cover will be a comparatively rigid board like, yet plastic, preformed cover that is readily workable, is comparatively easy to out, .Will not crack or spa-ll, is waterproof, into which nails may be readily driven, and will maintain its preformed'shape under'ordinary handling, while'being worked and in use. If desired, to prevent adhesion of cov- .ers or parts-ofcovers in shipment-or storage,

.one-or-more of'the-sur'faces of thecover may be coated with-a suitable powdered material, suchas soapstone, :talc or other powdered mineral, or the same may-have applied to it a film of non-adhesive material which can be a suitable solventso .that the cover or separate members of .the cover may be brought -into adhesivecontact with the rail and at their adjacent surfaces with each other. If desired, the members ofthe cover may be attached togetherby staples E as shown in Fig. 1 or by nails or spikes F, shown in Figs. Qand 3,'in conjunction with theadhesive cement D. lf desired, the. cement may be dispensed with and the nails, spikes or staples used alone, or the nails, spikes or staples may be used, without the adhesive .D.

If desired, the cover could be made of two .1 parts separated inthe center of the top portion, for instance, in Fig. 3 the two members would be formed so that one member would be to the right of an imaginary vertical line through the top of the cover of Fig. 3 and the other would be a similar portion on the left of such line. Inthe event of suclra cover being formed a tongue and-groove could be provided in the adjacent parts if desired and then the parts could be cemented together after being placed on the rail orthe tongue and groove could be dispensed with and merely straight sides provided which could becemented together. My cover may beprovided in any suitable lengths although lengths from 3to5 feet-are probably preferable as a matter of convenience in handling.

\Vhen applied the adjacent ends of the cover are preferably cemented by suitable adhesive cement and maybe stapled together by staples similar to those shown in Fig. 1, or if desired, the adjacent ends could be provided, the end of one section with a tongue and the end of the next adjacent section with a groove so as to break the joint where they were brought together, in this way assisting in obviating the possibiiity of moisture passing between adjacent sections of the cover.

I have not shown in the drawings the means for supporting the third rail, as any of the ordinary means may be ,usedand the cover by reason of itsease of workability can be iitted about the rail support.

Claims:

1. A third irail systemicoinprisingza third rail, a cover for :same,"composed of a body of material containing bitumen, preformed to conform to the contour of the rail and means attaching said cover adhesively to the rail.

2. A-third rail system comprising an electric conductor, a cover for same each section .of-whichis composed of a plurality of parts adapted when assembled to conform'to the contour of, and cover, the conductor-excepta longitudinal contact .portion thereof and adhesivemeans for unitingthe partsof said cover together and to the conductor.

3. An electric conducting system .composed =f anelectricconductor, a cover for same consisting of a plurality of members preformed from a material containing 'bitumenand fibres to conform tothecontourof the greater portion .of the conductor, .and

metallic clamping means uniting adjacent contacting surfaces-of thecover members, the

bitumen and fibers in said .members being .in such proportions that. such sections are ,penei'rable said vclampmg -means without ifracture.

4. An electric conducting system composed of an .electric conductor, a cover for same'consisting of a plurality of members preformed from a material containing-bitumen and fibres to conform to .the contour of a the greater port1onof-the conductor, and a non electrical conducting cement afii-Xing said-cover to the conductor.

5. An electric conducting system comprisinga conductor, acover for said conductor composed .of a @plurality of parts adapted when assembled to forma coverconforming to the contour of the conductor and to-con tact with the-surface-of same and means for holding said cover members inoperative relation with respect to said conductor, said means consisting of a cement, cementingsaid cover members to .the conductor.

6. An electricconducting systenrcoinprising an electric conductor, .a 2 cover -.for same consisting of a vplurality of members, containing bituminous-and fibrous materials, preformed sothat whenassembled they conform to the contourof a portion-of the-.conductor and meansseallng the joints between ad acent contacting surfaces of the cover section, a cover for said rail formed of water impervious, electrically non-conducting material, said cover comprising a preformed portion conforming to the contour of and in contact with a longitudinal side portion'of the rail, a separate preformed portion conforming to the contour of and in contact with the top and sides of the top portion of the rail and means for connecting said portions together when in position on the rail.

8. A third rail system comprising an electric conducting third rail, a cover for said rail formed of Water-impervious electrically non-conducting material said cover compris-, ing a preformed portion conforming to the contour of and in contact with a longitudinal side portion of the rail, a separate preformed portion conforming to the contour of and in contact with the top and sides of the top portion of the rail, a separate preformed portion corresponding to the first mentioned portion in contact with the opposite side of the rail and means for connecting said portions together when in position on the rail.

9. A third rail system comprising an electric conducting third rail, a cover for said rail provided with a portion conforming to the. contour of and'in contact with a longitudinal side portion of the rail, and a portion conforming to the contour of and in contactwith the top and sides of the top portion of the rail, and means cementing said cover to the rail. i

10. An electric conducting system comprising an electric conductor of dumb-bell cross-section, an insulating cover for said conductor adapted to contact with substantially the entire upper and central parts of the conductor, said cover being preformed in separate top and side sections of water-impervious and electrically non-conducting material, the top section being adapted to extend across the top and downwardly over both sides of the upper part of'the conductor, the side sections being adapted to extend over the central'part of the conductor and also contact with the top section whereby said sections may be assembled on the conductor and means for securing said top and side sections together.

11. An electric conducting system as inv claim 10 in which the downward extensions of the top section overlap the side sections, and fastening means are passed through the overlapping portions of the top section into filler in such proportions that such sections are penetrable by nails Without fracture and the sections are secured together by nails.

13. An electric conducting system as in claim 10 in which the sections of the cover are formed of bituminous material and are united to each other and adhesively attached to the conductor by cement comprising bituminous material.

In testimony whereof, I have signed my name to this specification.

HOMER L. ROGERS.

the side sections to hold the latter in position. p I c 12. An electricconducting-system as in claim 10 in which the sectionsof the cover are formed of a bituminous material and a lUO 

